An explosion shook the vicinity of Sulaymaniyah airport in Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) – censored region on Friday.
The explosion comes amid tensions with Close to Türkiye after Ankara on Wednesday closed its airspace to flights from cityblaming the increased terrorist activity of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). in the area.
Shortly after 4:00 pm (1300 GMT) “an explosion occurred took place near wall of Sulaymaniyah airport without causing any injurybut it led to a fire A statement by the airport security services said, “The civil defense units were placed under the control of the civil defense units.”
He. She added that air Traffic has not been disrupted.
Local officials, including the deputy prime minister of Kurdistan regionQubad Talabani said of And “attackwithout going into details.
A statement issued by the governor of Sulaymaniyah province, Haval Abu Bakr, said that the explosion was result of “Aerial bombing” near the airport.
He called on “All political parties must put an end to their differences” and not the heart of the Kurdistan Regional Government that controls it region to “battlefield for Type out their conflicting interests.
Türkiye on Wed said freeze on air links with Sulaymaniyah will last Until at least 3 July before review.
“this decision captured inside framework of Condensation of PKK terrorist activities in Sulaymaniyah penetration of the terrorist group at the airport and thus pose a threat to safety of flights,” the State Department said.
Türkiye has long stressed that it will not tolerate terrorist threats against national Security called on Iraqi officials must take action steps To eliminate the PKK terrorist group.
Ankara has previously indicated that it will not do so avoid Targeting terrorist threats if expected steps not taken. but, in the last Two years, intensification in Northern Iraq demolished terrorist hideouts in Mitya, Avashin-Basyan, Zap and Gara. After eliminating groupeffect in These regions, Türkiye also Aims to clear Qandil, Sinjar and Makhmour.
Qandil Mountains in Northern Iraq is the stronghold of the Kurdistan Workers Party, and group He is active in many neighboring cities and towns. In addition, it occupies many villages in the region Where the attacks are launched on Türkiye.
the announcement on Wednesday came more A week after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani in Ankara where to call on Iraqi people Recognizing the PKK as a terrorist organization organization.
For his part, Al-Sudani asserted that Iraq would not allow any terror group to use its territory for attacks on Türkiye.
